Panographic x-ray tubehead assemblage for intra-oral use combined with aligning ear probes



Aug. 22 1967 H. E. KOERNER 3,337,73fl PANOGRAPHIC X-RAY TUBEHEAD ASSEMBLAGE FOR INTRA-ORAL USE COMBINED WITH ALIGNING EAR PROBES Filed Oct. 28, 1964 3 mm mmO W l u lH mm m. w mm m wm 9 0m m mm on 9 mm L IIIWHII 2 2 mm w @v qm mv mm INVENTOR Harry E. Koerner e I X 3 Om United States Patent 3,337,730 PANOGRAPHIC X-RAY TUBEHEAD ASSEM- BLAGE FOR INTRA-ORAL USE COMBINED WITH ALIGNING EAR PROBES Harry E. Koerner, Catonsville, Md., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 406,980 2 Claims. (Cl. 250-50) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A panographic X-ray tubehead assemblage for intraoral use, having an anode rod for extension into the patients mouth, and a pair of ear probes so coupled to the anode rod as to assure its alignment in a plane midway between the ear probes, hence along a vertical midplane of the patients head While such probes occupy inserted positions in the patients ears.

Pa'nographic X-ray apparatus for intra-oral use exist which employ a panognaphic X-ray tube and casing construction having a target disposed in the end of a protruding anode rod capable of extension into the mouth of a patient to simultaneously irradiate forwardly from ear-toear for radiographic recording of tooth and bone structure on a single film strip wrapped about the patients face; an exemplification of such -an'X-ray apparatus having such capability being disclosed and described in US. Patent 2,946,892 in which the cylindrical protective casing 11 therein is referred to herein as an anode rod.

In such intra-oral use of the panographic X-ray tube, uniformity of radiographs produced thereby is dependent upon uniform positioning of the anode rod within the patients mouth. The prior practice of relying upon the sighting skill of the operator to obtain uniform anode rod positioning is less than desirable.

In view of the foregoing remarks, it is an object of the present invention to provide a panographic X-ray tubehead assemblage which enables uniform positioning of the anode rod in the patients mouth with relative ease and simplicity and without dependence upon the sighting skill of the operator.

In general, the present invention obtains anode rod position uniformity by use of a locating means which readily couples into both auditory canals of the patients ears to align such anode rod along the midsaggital plane of the head with a degree of accuracy not readily obtainable with the previous trial-and-error sighting technique.

Other objects, advantages and feature of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed de scription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a chosen exemplification of a p'anographic X ray tube head assemblage embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, partly in outline and partly in section, of the assemblage of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the FIG. 1 assembla e.

lfeferring to the drawings the novel tubehead assemblage of the present invention comprises a casing 5 of generally cylindrical configuration which encloses an X- ray tube (not shown) and includes a small diameter anode rod 7 protruding centrally from a flat circular end face 8 of the casing. Insertion of the anode rod 7 into 'a patients month (not shown) and subsequent energization of the X-ray tube within the casing will produce an ear-to-ear radiograph on a film strip (not shown) wrapped over 3,337,730 Patented Aug. 22, 1967 the patients face, as described, by way of example, in further detail in US. Patent 2,946,892.

In accord with novel features of the present invention, the tube head assemblage comprises a pair of bent, rodlike ear probes 10, similar in appearance to those of a physicians stethoscope, which are biased one-toward-theother by a helical tension spring 11 and are coordinated by a linkage 12 so that both probes when moved laterally will move equal distances with respect to a median plane 13 extending vertically therebetween. The probe, probe bias, and probe linkage assemblage is mounted on the top of the panognalphic X-ray tube housing 5 so that the axis 14 of the anode rod 7 lies in the median plane 13. This is accomplished through the medium of a track member 16 extending symmetrically along such median plane at the top of tube housing 5 and an ear probe carriage in the form of a slider plate 18 which is slidably guided by grooves in opposite side walls 21 of the track member 16. The forward end of the track member 16 is pivoted at a bracket 22 at the end face 8 of the tube housing to permit vertical tilting of the track member about a horizontal axis 23 and thereby enable adjustment of the vertical position of the ear probes 10 relative to the :axis of the anode rod 7. By sliding movement of the slider plate 18 along the track member 16 adjustment in effective length of the probes 10 may be made. The ends of the probes 10 are provided with ear pieces 25 to fit into each aural canal of the patients ears.

In use of the apparatus of the present invention, assume that the X-ray tubehead assemblage is supported in any suitable manner (not shown) to permit its conventional movement horizontally, vertically, about its longitudinal axis 14, or about different pivot axes perpendicular to the axis 14. The ear probes 10 will be separated to their maximum extent and disposed in a generally horizontal plane. The anode rod 7 will be introduce-d into the patients mouth to the desired degree by appropriate movement of the tubehead. The operator then adjusts the position and attitude of the ear probes to bring the earpieces 25 into introduction to the patients auditory canals of both 'outer cars. In so doing the housing 5 of the X-ray tube will be caused to assume a position which aligns the center line of the anode rod 7 with a plane passing centrally between the patients aural cavities along the midsaggital plane, irrespective of the degree of insertion of the anode rod 7 into the patients mouth, of the forward or sideward tilt of the patients head, or of the vertical angular attitude of such rod.

As to further details of the illustrative embodiment of the invention exemplified herein, the biasing of the two car probe rods 10' together by the spring 11 is accomplished through the medium of the linkage 12 which equates the movement of such probes. Included in such linkage are two flat, thin, relatively-wide probe arms 28 and 29 arranged one above the other in oppositely directed extension and to which the supported ends of the probe rods 10 are attached as by weldments 30. The inner ends of the fiat probe arms are connected for pivotal movement about the center of a raised cylindrical hub portion 32 extending upwardly at the center of the forward end of slider plate member 18. Such pivotal connection is established by a vertically-extending pin means 34 which is retained in place by a self-locking nut 36 disposed in a cavity opening upwardly from the bottom of the slider plate member 18. A Washer member 38 is sandwiched be tween the pivot-connected ends of the fiat arms 28 and 29 to facilitate the turning of such arms and hence the ear probe rods 10 horizontally about the vertical axis of the pin means 34. To coordinate such pivotal movement of the two ear probe rods 10, two members 40 and 41 are employed which, at one end, overlap and are pivotally connected together by a pin means 44 and at their opposite ends are pivotally connected to the probe arms 28 and 30, respectively, by pin means 45 and 46. The pin means 44 has a reduced cross-section portion 48 at its lower end which is slidably guided along the longitudinal center line of the slider plate member 18 by the side walls of a slot 50 through which the pin means 44 extends. A spacer sleeve 51 encircles the pin means 44 and slidably supports the adjacent end of the link member 41. Spacer sleeve 51 straddles the slot 50 and is slidably supported by the upper surface of the slider plate member 18. The helical tension spring 11 is anchored at one end to the pin means 44 via a loosely fit washer member 53 and at the opposite end is anchored to the pin means 34. The spring 11 urges the pin means 44, hence one end of the link members 40 and 41 in the direction of the pin member 34, which link members 40 and 41 in turn act through pin members 45 and 46 to urge the probe arms 28 and 29 forwardly about the pin means 34, thereby urging the ear probe rods 10 together to assure retention of ear pieces 25 in the ears of the patient during use of the apparatus. During movement of the ear probe rods toward or away from one another, it will be seen that the forward ends of link members 40 and 41 will rock toward and away from one another while the pin means 44 slides in the slot 50 and cooperates with its side walls to assure that the angular movement of such members, hence the corresponding angular movement of arms 28 and 29, hence also the corresponding angular movement of the ear probe rods 10, all occur symmetrically with respect to the centerline of the slider plate member 18. Slider plate member 18 being somewhat accurately located laterally of the track member 16 by the side walls 21, and the track member 16, being symmetrically aligned vertically with the centerline of the tubehead housing 5 and anode rod 7, such lateral movement of the ear probe rods will be symmetrical with respect to a vertical median plane of such tubehead and anode rod.

The manner of so locating the track member as well as for permitting its vertical tilting while maintaining its alignment with the vertical median plane of the anode rod, is by way of the bracket 22 and a pin 35 which extends along the horizontal axis 23 and pivotally joins such bracket to a fiat, vertical-extending, thin mounting plate secured to the circular end face 8 of the tube housing 5.

To define the limit of travel of the slider plate member 18, hence of the ear probe rods 10 and linkage means, on the track member 16 along the longitudinal axis of the tubehead, stop pins 60 and 61 are held by leaf springs 62, 63 in a position of projection through one side wall 21 fore and aft of such member, respec tively.

From the foregoing remarks it should be appreciated that the photographic X-ray tubehead assemblage of the present invention provides for rapid and accurate location of the anode rod in a patients mouth along a reference plane which can readily be re-es-tablished repeatedly, so that a series of radiographs of the same patient can be related to a common observation plane. Furthermore, the present invention provides for location of the anode rod along a medically-recognized reference plane of the skull.

While there has been shown and described an illus trative embodiment of the invention, modifications thereto will readily occur to those skilled in the art. It is not desired, therefore that the invention be limited to the specific details shown and described and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A panographic X-ray tubehead assemblage for intraoral use, comprising an anode rod for extension into the patients mouth, a pair of ear probes extending in the general direction of extension of said anode rod, and having inwardly-facing probe tips for insertion in the patients ears, and means coupling said ear probes to said anode rod so constructed and arranged as to permit adjustment of the separation distance between said probe tips and of the position thereof extendedly and proximately of said anode rod, while maintaining said tips aligned and equally spaced from a median plane passing through the centerline of said anode rod irrespective of the degree of their separation or of their proximate or extended position relative to such rod.

2. A panographic X- ray tubehead assemblage for intra oral use, comprising an elongated housing having an anode rod at one end for extension into the patients mouth, a pair of stethoscope-shaped ear probes having inwardly-directed tips at a projecting end for insertion into the patients ears, a probe mount carriage means supporting inner ends of said probes while permitting adjustment in relative angular positions thereof in a common plane, bias spring means on said carriage means arranged to urge said probes one toward the other, linkage means on said carriage constructed and arranged to maintain the angular attitudes of said probes equal with respect to a median plane between the two probes which is prependicu-lar to the aforesaid common plane in which they may be moved pivotally, a track member on which said carriage means is slidably mounted on straight linear movement therealong, and track mounting means mounting the foreward end of said track member to said housing for extension backwardly therea'long from a plane of origin of the anode rod and for so aligning the probes that their median plane contains the centerline of the anode rod, said track mounting means being so constructed and arranged as to permit pivotal movement of said track member about an axis parallel to the plane in which said probes are disposed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1955 Delk 25050 7/ 1960 Bas-Taymaz 250 X 

1. A PANOGRAPHIC X-RAY TUBEHEAD ASSEMBLAGE FOR INTRAORAL USE, COMPRISING AN ANODE ROD FOR EXTENSION INTO THE PATIENT''S MOUTH, A PAIR OF EAR PROBES EXTENDING IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF EXTENSION OF SAID ANODE ROD, AND HAVING INWARDLY-FACING PROBE TIPS FOR INSERTION IN THE PATIENT''S EARS, AND MEANS COUPLING SAID EAR PROBES TO SAID ANODE ROD SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED AS TO PERMIT ADJUSTMENT OF THE SEPARATION DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID PROBE TIPS AND OF THE POSITION THEREOF EXTENDEDLY AND PROXIMATELY OF SAID ANODE ROD, WHILE MAINTAINING SAID TIPS ALIGNED AND EQUALLY SPACED FROM A MEDIAN PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE CENTERLINE OF SAID ANODE ROD IRRESPECTIVE OF THE DEGREE OF THEIR SEPARATION OR OF THEIR PROXIMATE OR EXTENDED POSITION RELATIVE TO SUCH ROD. 